The future of travel isn’t all about closing the deals fast. Travellers often visit travel agencies to discover what’s new on offer or simply to keep themselves updated. If your interest is in developing happy travellers that keep returning, so that when they are ready to make a purchase, they will buy from you. Then you will want to be offering them more than just a place to purchase. You need to offer them a conducive and inviting experience, be it online or offline that can stimulates their emotions and an interactive bespoke service that help heighten enjoyment of travel.
Understanding what makes these travelers tick is no longer half the battle won for marketers. Young, price savvy, technologically forward thinking and with a mission to fulfill, these travelers of the future expects travel companies to keep up with them and not the other way around. In fact, 42 percent of them would be more loyal to a brand or a retailer that allows them to provide inputs or shape the products or services.
The challenge for the travel industry is to continue and stay one step ahead of these changing consumers’ demands. That means delivering on all fronts, be it product and services, customer experience or price. The successful industry players that will dominate and define this new age of travel trends will be the ones that embrace transformation and uncertainty represents a new age opportunity to flourish.
Understanding the relentlessly changing consumer and travel landscapes will be crucial, as will be a disposition to advance the use of new technologies and capitalize on them to benefit their business and customers now and in the next years to come.
The future of travel isn’t all about closing the deals fast. Travellers often visit travel agencies to discover what’s new on offer or simply to keep themselves updated. If your interest is in developing happy travellers that keep returning, so that when they are ready to make a purchase, they will buy from you. Then you will want to be offering them more than just a place to purchase. You need to offer them a conducive and inviting experience, be it online or offline that can stimulates their emotions and an interactive bespoke service that help heighten enjoyment of travel.
For example, leading Singapore travel agency – General Manager, Marketing of Global Travel and Scenic Travel, Mr. Simon Er has said: “We like to do things differently. While most players are designed to sell, that isn’t the top of our agenda. We want to provide a service that is designed to inspire consumers through unique and enriching experiences.”
Travellers expectation are set by their best experience, in order to earn loyalty, the industry need to delight travellers not just convincing or enticing them to purchase. A better environment and experience will keep travellers coming back. GfK APAC Lead for Travel & Hospitality, Mr. Anthony Tan reveals that in an omnichannel environment some players with physical stores presence simply aren’t maximizing their advantage effectively yet and thus allow for more opportunities to innovate.
Anthony Tan, APAC lead for travel and hospitality, GfK.
